The Hypocrisy and Double Standard of the Ruling Elites Must End

We live in a country were the moral fabrics of its citizens are under serious attack by a government led by a human rights lawyer. The attack on the conscience of the people is synonymous to what is happening at the galamsey sites.

Under the leadership of Nana Akufo Addo, the acclaimed human rights lawyer, almost everything in the country appears being destroyed at a speed of light. What is happening looks like a well thought through planning to reduced Ghanaians into semi human beings.

We have many classes of citizens, namely Statesmen & Women, Council of Elders, Pastors Senior Citizens, Chiefs etc, and most of them have forgotten words like.fairness, integrity and reputations.The conducts of some of these elders appears common sense had eluded them, and they have lost the reverence most ghanaians had for them.

Due to greed, selfishness and cheap politics men and women of high repute consciously allowed their hard earned achievements and reputation destroyed under the altar of blind loyalty to their political godfathers. Most of these people have allowed blind loyalty to their political party to cloud their judgement in defense of despicable acts of government which had exposed them to serious public opprobrium.

This needless constitutional drama was not necessary if the protagonist allowed small common sense to prevail. Mr Afenyo Markin thought his position as majority leader is threatened hence running to the Supreme Court for solace. Unfortunately his action at the court tends to benefit those four disloyal Members of Parliament whose misconduct had created the political feud in parliament, which is threatening the peace of country.

The two Members of Parliament of the NPP knew if they were to declare their intention earlier about six months to a general election their party will trigger article 3(9)(1) of the party constitution and that would have created an opportunity for a by - elections. Hence they decided to vacate their seats within the three months window where there would be no room for a by- election.

Mr Asiamah Amoako the independent MP has offended the 1992 fourth republican constitution of Ghana and the New Patriotic Party constitution. A sitting Independent member of parliament for Fomena is now the New Patriotic Party parliamentary candidate for Fomena. Justification of of his action is untenable, and by this action shows he rejoined the NPP long ago at the blindside of the law.

The framers of the constitution envisaged some members of parliament may decide to abandoned their party by defecting to another party or as an independent candidates and their constituents will be disadvantage hence article 97(1)(g &h) placed that burden on any member of parliament who may decide to join another party or as an independent candidate vacate their seat as a consequences for being disloyal to their constituents and their party.

The four Members of Parliament knew the consequences of their actions, that explains why they refused to challenge the Speaker,'s verdict. It is the hypocrisy, double standard and bad judgement of Mr Afenyo - Markin that had fueled this political tussle. No one in his right frame of mind would defend these disloyal party members

Article 112 (6) of the Constitution, states three months to a general elections there would be no by- election, which implied whatever situation may arise within that three months the status quo in parliament remains.

Mr Afenyo- Markin should have taken advantage of article 112 (6) as a defence of maintaining his position as the majority leader till the end of the eight parliament. This could have curb all the constitutional dramas, and the political feud which had brought the independent of the Juduciary (the Supreme Court ) under serious questioning.

The double standard of the New Patriotic Party is what is threatening the peace of this country. The very provision in the New Patriotic Party's constitution which was used to terminate the membership of Hopeson Adorye, Nana Ohene Ntow,, Yaw Buabeng Asamoah, Abubakar Boniface Siddique and others from the party for merely pledging their support for Mr Allan Kyerematen's presidential bid, surprisedly the cohorts of the entire leadership of the new patriotic party unconsciously fighting a shameless battle in defense of dishonourable members of parliament who lost an internal elections, aggrieved and broke camp with their party. This hypocrisy must end.

Mike Kalley
Sociopolitical Analyst.